I have decided to take the plunge and buy the Canon XF300 and are now looking at accessories such as CF cards. Any recommendation for CF Cards?

In theory, just about any of them should work. I would recommend cards that are UDMA for faster sustained transfer speeds. My XF300 arrives today (come on, UPS!!) and I've got a Lexar 8gb 300x CF card that I'm gonna try first. The 300x CF has a minimum sustained write speed of 45MB/sec, which equals 360 Mbps, so it should be able to more than handle Canon's XF codec of 50 Mbps.

If it works as well as it should, I think I'm gonna spring for a two pack of 32 gb Lexar 233x for $300 on Amazon. The 233x has a minimum sustained write speed of 35MB/s, which equals 280 Mbps, which again is more than enough to handle Canon's 50 Mbps.

This bandwidth calculator may help out when you're weighing different speed options. Just remember, there is a difference between MB/sec (how write speeds of CF cards are measured) and Mbps (how codec information transfer is typically measured).

http://web.forret.com/tools/bandwidth.asp?speed=35&unit=MB%2Fs

Brian you should just fine with those cards. With my use of the Nanoflash, I can record 100mbps with Transcend 133x cards. There may be a variation between specs and vendors but the 50mbps data rate is a pretty low bar for todays CF cards.

I have been using SanDisk Extreme 60MB/s cards, 32Gb. Each holds 40min at full data rate and the price is good.

Long ago, I was told to always use SanDisk card with Canon cameras, something to do with a patent. Never been let down since I changed from Lexar.

Essential too to buy a Firewire 800 card reader to speed up the import, makes a big difference.

Nick

Nick, did you have trouble with the Lexar CF cards? I've been using my Lexars today with no trouble, and I've used them in 7D's and 5D II's without issue as well. Also, I'm getting 40 minutes out of a 16gb card - I believe you should be getting 80 out of that 32.

Brian, The only cards I have lost files from have been Lexars (total job loss from corruption). Never had a single issue with SanDisk in 7years. YMMV :)

Apologies, you are correct and I am mixing my cards - 32Gb is 80min.

Nick.

SanDisk so far, and no problems on a few of the pre-production XF300/5's that were loaned to us. I'm currently using an older SanDisk Extreme III (30MB/s) card, and there's no problem @50mbps.

Once we (hopefully) place our order for several of these cameras, we will go with Sandisk Extreme 60MB/s cards, as Nick mentioned.


Thanks,
Mike

I checked ebay and I am going to order A-data 32gb 533x priced at 99$. If its works fine I will order 2 more.

I have decided to take the plunge and buy the Canon XF300 and are now looking at accessories such as CF cards. Any recommendation for CF Cards?

I've tended toward Sandisk for my DSLRs for years (and one 4GB Lexar for ~4 years). I have been using Lexar 32GB (300x - overkill) in my XF300. Best I could get quickly and locally at a reasonable price. No problems in first few days of experience.

Brett

We've been selling alot of Hoodman RAW 675x 16gb cards lately........

Jim Martin
FilmTools.com

I'll second that. I've been using the 16GB Hoodman cards for the past two weeks and I love them.

I did some tests and they offload 20% faster than 32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro cards -- using the same XF clips, same reader, same USB cable, etc.
To me, that is worth paying a little extra for.

We've been selling alot of Hoodman RAW 675x 16gb cards lately.......

Just checked Hoodman's site to see if they have a 32G CF card. They do, but also said that, "it's a bit thicker than the usual Type 1 CF card you are use to. The thickness is made to accommodate the 32 GB 500,000 cycle flash module required for 100 MB/SEC performance."

Anyone tried the 32G card in an XF cam to see if it fits?

I did some tests and they offload 20% faster than 32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro cards -- using the same XF clips, same reader, same USB cable, etc.
To me, that is worth paying a little extra for.

Hi Doug,

That sounds great! Have you tried copying clips from one CF card to the other in camera? If so, are the Hoodmans still faster than the Sandisks?

Thanks,

I have copied clips from one card to another inside the camera-- that's how I created two identical cards for testing. The copying seemed very fast, but I didn't have any reason to time it. I'll probably never use that fucntion every again so it doesn't matter to me which combination of cards would be faster in that situation.
Some things I want to know the facts about, and other things I don't care about. :-)

Anyone tried the 32G card in an XF cam to see if it fits?

That's putting too many egges in one basket for my taste. I'll stick with 16GB for the time being no matter how stable the 32GB cards (of any brand) seem to be at first. Just look at the SDHC problems people have had with the XDCAM EX cameras. I'm not taking any chances and I''ve already been able to screw up the footage on a card pretty easily. It was just a test so it didn't matter, but it showed me the folly of putting too many eggs in one basket.

However, it would be interesting to know if the 32GB they fit. Perhaps Jim Martin can check if Filmtools stocks those cards.

We have them on an order basis.....no one has asked for them yet and with Hoodman here in town, we usually get them in a day.

Jim Martin
Filmtools.com

Just talked w/ Hoodman.....they have not tested it with the 300/305 but have made a note to do so. Also, it does work with the 5D & 7D so I would like to think its going to fit on the 300/305.

Jim Martin
FilmTools.com

Here are links to the Canon USA and Canon Europa sites that list tested CF cards:
Canon U.S.A. : Support & Drivers : XF300 (http://usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer/camcorders/flash_memory_camcorders/xf300#Specifications)
Canon Professional Network - CF card compatibility for XF305 and XF300 pro camcorders (http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/news/CF_card_compatibility_for_XF305_and_XF300_pro_camcorders.do)

Delkin has a 64GB CF card that I use with the Nanoflash at 100 mbps that has been troublefree for me. It was purchased through one of the Convergent Design resellers.

Just talked w/ Hoodman.....they have not tested it with the 300/305 but have made a note to do so. Also, it does work with the 5D & 7D so I would like to think its going to fit on the 300/305.

Hi Jim,

Appreciate you checking!

I just read the following which suggests that even the highest spec X600 UDMA Transcend cards won't work with these cameras. Anyone tried shooting slow-mo with the less expensive cards?




CF Card Compatibility

Cards whose compatibility has been verified:

Cards work at all modes:

SanDisk -

Extreme Pro - 64GB - SDCFXP‐064G‐J91 - x600(90MB/s)
32GB - SDCFXP‐032G‐J91 - x600(90MB/s)
16GB - SDCFXP-016G-J91 - x600(90MB/s)
Extreme - 32GB - SDCFX‐032G‐J61 - x400(60MB/s)
16GB - SDCFX-016G-J61 - x400(60MB/s)
8GB - SDCFX-008G-J61 - x400(60MB/s)

Hagiwara SYS‐COM -

Z III - 8GB - HPC‐CF8GZ3U5 - x300(45MB/s)
4GB - HPC-CF4GZ3U5 - x300(45MB/s)



Cards work except at slow motion mode:

Lexar -

Professional x300 - 16GB - LCF16GBERBJP300 - x300(45MB/s)
8GB - LCF8GBERBJP300 - x300(45MB/s)
4GB - LCF4GBERBJP300 - x300(45MB/s)
Professional x600 - 16GB - LCF16GBCRBJP600 - x600(90MB/s)
8GB - LCF8GBCRBJP600 - x600(90MB/s)

Delkin Devices -

Combat Flash - 32GB - DDCFCOMBAT‐32GB - x625(91MB/s)
16GB - DDCFCOMBAT‐16GB - x625(91MB/s)
8GB - DDCFCOMBAT‐8GB - x625(91MB/s)

Transcend -

600x Compact Flash Card - 32GB - TS32GCF600 - x600(90MB/s)
16GB - TS16GCF600 - x600(90MB/s)